Schizophrenia symptoms and brain network efficiency: A resting-state fMRI study
Tsung-Wei Su1, Tun-Wei Hsu2, Yi-Ching Lin3
1Brain Connectivity Lab., Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, No. 155, Section 2, Linong Street, Taipei 112, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Losheng Sanatorium and Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, No. 2, Lane 50, Section 1, Wanshou Rd., Guishan Shiang, Taoyuan County, Taiwan.
Psychiatry Research
|September 28, 2015
Summary
Schizophrenia disrupts brain networks, reducing information processing efficiency. This study found reduced global efficiency in schizophrenia patients, correlating with symptom severity and short-range connections.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Network Science
Background:
- Schizophrenia is characterized by disrupted brain functional networks.
- The relationship between information processing efficiency and schizophrenia symptoms is not well understood.
- Limited research exists on path length efficiencies in schizophrenia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate small-world network metrics in schizophrenia patients.
- To examine correlations between brain network efficiency and psychopathology using the 5-factor model.
- To understand how information processing efficiency relates to schizophrenia symptomatology.
Main Methods:
- Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 49 schizophrenia patients and 28 healthy controls.
- Graph theoretical analysis to compute brain network efficiency (global and local) based on the Automated Anatomical Labeling (AAL) parcellation.
- Correlation analysis between network efficiency metrics and the 5-factor model of psychopathology.
Main Results:
- Global brain network efficiency was significantly lower in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls.
- Local efficiency did not differ between the groups.
- Global efficiency correlated negatively with overall psychopathology severity, negative symptoms, and depression/anxiety symptoms.
- Increased network efficiency was associated with short-range connections, not long-range connections, in relation to psychopathology severity.
Conclusions:
- Schizophrenia is associated with reduced global brain network efficiency.
- Brain network information processing efficiency is correlated with the severity of psychopathology in schizophrenia.
- Findings highlight the role of network efficiency, particularly short-range connections, in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
Keywords:
Brain efficiencyPositive and Negative Symptom ScalePsychotic symptomResting state fMRISmall world network
